We will be at Cafe Phipps again this Sunday. If the weather is pleasant, we could sit outside.

Here is a link to a podcast I’d like to discuss in September. Wendy Kaminer, is among those who believe that things like speech codes and trigger warnings have gotten out of control. Kaminer is a lawyer and writer who has dedicated much of her life’s work to defending free speech. She and host Lindsay Beyerstein engage in a spirited discussion about the grayest areas concerning speech and censorship on campus and in the culture at large.

Some people have asked about men responding to this meet-up. This group was designed for women, but I am not comfortable with restricting anyone’s participation unless they are disruptive. It appears that all of the men who are listed as attending are CFI Pittsburgh event organizers. In that capacity, they are listed as attending whether or not they respond.

Here are some questions I gleaned from the podcast:

Can you share a personal experience with drafting, coping with or violating a speech code on campus or an other organization?

Do you find that people have an innate impulse to restrict speech they find uncomfortable? If so, how can we respond to that with in ourselves? In others?

Kaminer asserts that, “When you talk about speech as a form of violence you are apt to justify violence in response to speech.” Can speech be a form of violence; can censorship?

Kaminer did not address power dynamics, but it is evident that some groups have the ability to contravene free speech and promote their views due to their ownership of venues, institutions and media. Are speech codes are an attempt to counter dismissive/derogatory/hate speech by the powerful entities? Is this healthy, or should other tactics be employed?

Pittsburgh – USA

Sunday, September 11 at 2:00 PM

11

Center for Inquiry – Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA 1,505freethinkers

If you’re looking to become part of a community of fascinating people who generally share your secular and critical-thinking worldview and values, if you want to meet some lik…